Town guide · Somerset County
Living in Bernardsville, NJ
Bernardsville is a Somerset Hills borough with a small downtown around its train station and the wooded slopes of Bernardsville Mountain above it. Its old estates, historic station and older neighborhoods reflect more than 150 years as a country retreat close to New York.
- County
- Somerset
- Population
- About 7,900 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 13 square miles
- Setting
- Small downtown and older streets, with wooded hills and estates
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 202, County Route 525, and Interstate 287 just outside the borough
First things first
Bernardsville and Bernards Township are separate
Bernardsville was part of Bernards Township until 1924, when it became its own borough. Today the two are separate municipalities with separate governments and separate property tax rates.
Basking Ridge, its neighbor to the south, is part of Bernards Township, not Bernardsville. We always confirm which municipality a home is in before we talk about taxes or value.
Neighborhoods
From the station to the Mountain
The area was once known as Vealtown and took the name Bernardsville in 1840. The railroad reached town in 1872. After the Civil War, large country estates went up on Bernardsville Mountain, first as summer retreats from the city and later as year round homes.
- Bernardsville Mountain: The wooded high ground where the borough's large country estates were built.
- Olcott Avenue: An early 20th century neighborhood near downtown, now a 28 acre historic district on the National Register.
- Downtown: The blocks around the train station and Route 202.
- Other place names: Blaziers Corner and Mine Brook are older place names for parts of the borough.
Homes
What you will find
- Estate homes on large wooded lots on Bernardsville Mountain, some dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s.
- Older homes near downtown including the houses of the Olcott Avenue Historic District along Olcott, Childsworth and Highview Avenues and Church Street.
- Single family homes on the streets between downtown and the Mountain.
Worth knowing: Many Bernardsville homes are old, and some sit on large hillside lots. Age, systems and the water and sewer setup all matter. A National Register listing does not by itself restrict what a private owner can do with a home, but we check every property for local rules before you buy or list. The whole borough is in the Highlands Planning Area, not the stricter Preservation Area.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Bernardsville
- 1.947%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $17,6762025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $900,000 on today's market would pay roughly $17,523 a year at Bernardsville's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
U.S. Route 202 and County Route 525 are the main roads through Bernardsville. Interstate 287 passes just outside the borough in Bernards Township, with Exit 30 at Route 202 and North Maple Avenue and Exit 26 at Mount Airy Road. Bernardsville station, on NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch, sits downtown and offers service to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station. The next stations are Far Hills to the north and Basking Ridge to the south.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Cross Estate Gardens: Formal and native plant gardens on a former estate, now part of Morristown National Historical Park's New Jersey Brigade area.
- Bernardsville station: A 1901 station building on the Gladstone Branch, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Olcott Avenue Historic District: A walkable early 20th century neighborhood listed on the National Register in 2009.
- John Parker Tavern: A tavern built before the Revolutionary War, originally called the Vealtown Tavern, and listed on the National Register.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Bernardsville
What are property taxes in Bernardsville, NJ?
Bernardsville Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.947 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $17,676, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Bernardsville the same as Bernards Township?
No. Bernardsville split from Bernards Township in 1924 and is a separate borough with its own government and tax rate. Basking Ridge is part of Bernards Township, not Bernardsville.
Does Bernardsville have a train station?
Yes. Bernardsville station is downtown on NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch, with service to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station.
What was Bernardsville called before?
The area was known as Vealtown until 1840, when it became Bernardsville. The John Parker Tavern on Route 202 was originally called the Vealtown Tavern.
What is Bernardsville Mountain?
Bernardsville Mountain is the high, wooded part of the borough where large country estates were built after the Civil War. They began as summer homes and later became year round residences.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Bernardsville
Buying or selling in Bernardsville?
Older homes deserve a closer look
An estate on the Mountain and a house a few blocks from the 1901 station are very different sales. We look at the age of the home, the lot and its history before we talk about price.
Call or text either of us directly.